"Seriously lady, I got better things to do than to lay here under that big ole boob of yours all day! This working so hard for my milk is overrated. Hey mom, I got a better idea, why don't you just get that little black bag of yours and hook them babies up and let that machine do the work for me so I don't have to use my jaw muscles so much!"On a more serious note, I chose to breastfeed both of my children out of pure love for all things natural and for their health. I remember supplementing big M at avery early age because we had so much going on around here with my mom being on hospice. I also look back and feel like I really had no clue what I was doing. If I remember correctly big M did get sick with upper respiratory stuff a good bit. He never had an ear infection though and I'm pretty sure he has a high IQ ;0). Little M has not had an antibiotic yet (knock on wood). The only medicine I have ever had to give her was Tylenol once for a low grade temperature after shots.
In 2 days little M and I will have made it for 8 months as a nursing duo. She hasn't had 1 oz. of formula and for that I am very proud. Even when she was hospitalized 2 months ago for a head injury (that's another post), I pumped and the nurses stored it for me and we fed it to her when she could eat and we made it through without a drop in my milk supply. Yay!
Being a mom at work pumping is a true labor of love. This has been my biggest hurdle, making sure I pump enough when I'm working. Thankfully, I have some very supportive and understanding co-workers. I have only had 1 person make a negative comment to me and it was a guy and it was just about how long it took me. Oh what I wanted to say to him! I won't even go there! I have had a couple of scares when she has gone through growth spurts but thankfully I had stocked the freezer when she was younger and didn't drink so much.
I was very surprised to read an article here recently about a woman in Ohio who lost a case that went to the supreme court against her employer which was Tote/Isotoner. She was fired from her job for taking unauthorized breaks to pump. I read the article over and over thinking this is insane. How could this be? My eyes did not deceive me, it's a true story. You can read about it here at salon.com.
Anyways, I just thought you might want to know that on Sunday me and little M will celebrate her 8 month boobday birthday! Hip Hip Hooray! And yes, good Lord willing and the milk don't dry up little M and I will continue on this journey for at least 4 more months!
Awww, I loved reading this! I struggled to nurse both of my children. I REALLY wanted too. My daughter was in the NICU for a week after her birth, and unfortunately I was never given opportunity to nurse her until she was five days old. Oh, I gave it a good try - rented a hospital grade pump, and tried everything, but I dried up within six weeks. And my son was born three weeks early, and just had some troubles getting started growing (you would never know now!). I had a very weak milk supply, and I tried and tried once again. But the doctor really pushed me to supplement, and once I started that I was dry in four months. Sad. I feel I missed out, but I will try again, whenever God blesses us with another!
ReplyDeleteGirl! I feel your pain!! I know how it was to try and go pump and hope your patient didn't code while you were gone! HA! Wonder why we have problems with milk production! Working like crazy, no time to eat or drink and then rushing like mad to go up and pump, all the time trying to hurry so the ER wouldn't go under without you. Amazingly I had the same experience. I was (by the Grace of God) somehow able to nurse all 3 of my babies for one year and I did it, not because I loved it or had all the spare time in the world to do it, I just knew it was the best for my babies. Only nursing mommies really understand that sacrifice!! You go girl! I miss you so much. Hope you are doing well. I have never heard your story about your daughter's head injury. We really need to get together and talk!!!
ReplyDeleteMandy